Never Over You - Santillan Series I

Chapter 17; Drunk

JANA

Busy ako sa pagrereview ng sales report ng magvibrate ang cellphone ko sa mesa, it's a long vibration which means that it's a call. Alexis is calling, at this hour? I glanced my watch in my wrist, it's 8:30 pm already. It's so rare when she calls at this time, it could be an emergency?
Sinagot ko na nga but the moment when I heard her voice, I know something happened, again. She's trying to make her voice as normal but duh! I'm her cousin and I knew her better. And I could say that she's been crying by the sound of it. Damn. Who hurt her this time!

She wants to come in my place but I declined, i told her na pupuntahan ko nalang siya. And i was stunned when she said that she wants to get drunk and followed by crying. All this time, na inaaya ko siyang uminom pero tinatanggihan niya. Oh Holy Mary! She's that hurt para maisipan niyang uminom!

Dali-dali kung iniwan ang ginagawa ko, it can wait. While driving, I called my so closed friend Von who owns a club named Pentagon. Pinareserved ko ang VIP para kahit maglasing kami, we're safe. I hope Alexis would make it through, she's strong and I know she'll get over it. All her life, she's been manipulated. Kami palang lahat except Blue, she's damn lucky. Alam ko, all these years. She's just trying so hard to pretend that she's happy and okay. Na hindi siya nasasaktan at nahihirapan, I may not know how deep her wound but I felt her pain somehow.

As I parked my car in front of Empire Heights, I saw her sitting in the middle on the floor like she's a child lost child. I hate seeing her like this cause I treat her more than my cousin, she and Blue are like my little sisters. So pag nasasaktan sila, mas naman yung nararamdaman ko. Hindi niya napansin ang pagdating ko, nakatulala lang siya at maga ang mga mata. I knew this looked, cause I've been there before.

" Hey cous. " pukaw ko sa kanya. She looks so hurt and miserable, I bend para maglevel kami. I hugged her so tight kasi alam kung she needed it so badly. I'm a bit thankful for what might happened cause she's starting to show what she really felt, maybe she got tired of hiding it. Then I start feeling my shirt is getting wet, she's silently crying. Hinahaplos ko lang ang likod niya sabay bulong ng andito lang ako palagi.

" Hush now cous. Whatever it is, it'll be okay. Let's go and get drunk? " I softy said, cheering her up. She obeyed afterward after drying her tears then she smiled, a hopeful smile. On our way to Pentagon, chika lang ako ng chika sa kanya just to make her feel at ease. I've been a good talker so sisiw lang sakin ang magpatawa, until we didn't noticed na nandito na kami sa tapat ng Pentagon.

" You sure about this cous? " I asked her kung sure ba talaga siya sa gagawin niya dahil para sa beginner na tulad niya, jusko! Mababaliw ka sa hang over kinabukasan. Tumango lang siya at lumabas na kami.

Hindi na kami hinarang ng guards dahil regular customer ako dito, though dahil lahat ng bar may dress code talaga, nakalusot parin kami dahil kay Von. Sino ba naman kasing pupunta sa bar na nakajeans at nakashorts lang, kami lang ata.

Loud music, dim lights, dancing crowd, liquors everywhere, strangers kissing on the dark side and couples making out. I'm used to it though, hinawakan ko ng mabuti ang kamay niya dahil baka mawala siya. We're heading to the second floor which was the VIP located. At ng makarating kami, relieved is written in our faces. And I was surprised to see the different kinds of drinks in the table, from light to hard drinks and chasers, kompleto.

" I wonder if Abuela knows about this, she'll probably freak out. " I said out of nowhere as we sit comfortably in the couch. And by the smile on her lips, I'm sure that she'd agreed of what I've just said.

And I couldn't remember how or when we started drinking, I just found na nangangalahati na kami. We're on the hard drinks and as I looked at her, she's not using glass shots anymore. Tinutungga na niya ang bote while tears are streaming in her face. Fuck. For a beginner like her, she was brave enough to drink the Johnny Walker.

ALEXIS

Hindi ko alam kung paano kami nakapasok sa club. Sa pagkakaalam ko, may dress code ang bawat club. I think Jana has influence or connection here? I don't know and I don't care. As we reached the VIP and saw the drinks in the table, excitement runs in my veins. I was so curious of what I've heard that getting drunk and all makes you forget the pain you're feeling and I'm going to figured it out.

And I could say that it tastes awful than I imagined pero sa umpisa lang. As I emptied each bottle, my world starts to spin and blurry but I could assured that I'm not drunk, nakainom lang. Magkaiba yun! Magkaiba! At sinong gago ang nagsabi na nakakalimutan ang lahat pagdinaan sa inom! Sino! Bakit imbes na maghilom mas lalong lumalala? Imbes na makalimutan, mas pinapaalala? Ba't ganun! Sagot! I could felt my face are now getting wet because my damn tears betrayed me. Tinungga ko ulit ang boteng hawak ko, nakalimutan ko ang brand pero parang may walker ata? Zombie walker? Moon walker? Ewan.

All bad and happy memories are playing in my head like a movie. I just did the right thing cause it left me no choice at all. It's a now or never decision. Why fate is so cruel to me? I just want to be happy but why does it so damn hard to apply it to me? Is it really hard to grant my wished? Hindi ko na kaya. Napahagulhol na ako ng iyak habang nakalugmok sa sahig. Wala eh! Masyado ng masakit! Hindi ko na mapigilan. I was crying for God-knows-how-long.

" Hindi ko na alam ang gagawin ko cous. My life was so fucked up! " I said as I cried again. And I was fucking sure that my eyes would be swollen by tomorrow. Damn! Sumasakit na ang ulo ko, goodluck talaga sakin bukas.

And when the walker was emptied, I grabbed another bottle without knowing what is it. Isang lagok palang, parang hindi na ako makakatayo at mas lalo akong nahilo. Ano ba tong alak toh? Sa sobrang tapang, napahiga na ako. Pakshit! Para na akong lumulutang sa kawalan. Parang gusto kung sumayaw at magwala. I wanna feel free even for tonight, I wanna dance it all away.

So I tried to get up. Kahit hindi na kaya ng katawan ko sa kagustohang kung sumayaw! And I'm thankful na nakasneakers ako dahil kung hindi, I'll probably injure myself walking down the stairs. Damn! My knees felt like jelly! And my body was feeling numb. And in my state right now, I felt like a normal person. And when I stepped my feet in the dance floor with a full packed of free dancing their lungs out, I immediately swayed as they did. Though I'm really not good at it, the hell I care right?

While I was dancing to the rhythm, the bottle of drink was with me. Drinking until I felt satisfied. My sight was blurred but I could say that I was dancing with a stranger. He was close to me cause I could smell his manly scent, his hands were on my waist. Still, I don't give a damn. Hindi naman siguro ako marerape dito noh? Shit! I think I'm gonna faint any minute and I couldn't call Jana for help. The guy suddenly hugged me in a possessive way that I could sense I was in a danger zone. Oh, fuck! Someone rescue me, please! I'm about to push him but I failed. I have no strength any more to protest! Oh God!

It happened so fast. Parang may nagsisigawan at nagsusuntukan? I'm not sure. Someone carried me carefully. He's been cursing multiple times and like his mad on something. Parang ako ata ang pinapagalitan niya? And his scent filled in my nose, that scent. It was so familiar to me. Pero parang imposible eh. Or it was just my imagination? Part of getting drunk I guess? So. This was the feeling of a drunk person? Parang nasa out of earth ka. Damn! Inaantok na ako. He put me in a comfortable seat as he tied me up and my seat felt down like I was lying in my bed. This is heaven! And before I could think of anything else, darkness consumed me.